2012 is set to be the year that home-grown apps take off in South Africa.  In September 2011, Vodacom was the first network operator to launch a local app store.  The express intention was to spur the development of a local app industry, creating apps relevant to the unique environment in South Africa as well as creating jobs and income opportunities at the same time.

Speaking about the progress since last year, Prins Mhlanga, Managing Executive of Digital Media at Vodacom said:

“The Vodacom App Store itself is booming and has exceeded all expectations. We’re thrilled that we’ve hit one million downloads in less than six months of launch.  But the real challenge has been to realise the ambition of kick-starting an entirely new industry in South Africa. We had to find a way to support and nurture talent and also celebrate the success stories.”

In order to start the process of harnessing local talent, the Vodacom Developer Program commenced in October last year and included a series of initiatives such as the App Star Challenge which is a competition aimed at providing developers with the opportunity to develop local apps.

Mhlanga said:

“We couldn’t just set a challenge without giving the contestants a platform, incentives and support required for developers to focus on the task of creating some truly unique apps.”

The winners of The App Star Challenge were announced at the awards ceremony held at Vodacom World last night. The first prize winner, Kishyr Ramdial developed an astonishing Radiopod, an Android App which offers radio podcast for local radio stations. The second prize winner, Dr David Vanucci developed Mobiraba, an Android App of the traditional African board game, Morabaraba. Glenn Stein who won the third prize developed PhraZApp, a Java App which translates South African languages. All three winners will launch their apps on the Vodacom App store.

Vodacom will continue to provide incentives to the local developers or Mobile App entrepreneurs through the monthly App contests which are currently running and will end on 31 July 2012. During this period, Vodacom will recognise the developers with the coolest App of the month and the popular App with most downloads.

To participate in the monthly App contest visit http://www.vodacom.co.za/developer

“We’re truly delighted with the success of the App Star Challenge. We have seen great local talent come to the fore and we’re excited about the income opportunities that lie ahead for the developers,” Mhlanga concluded.

Research In Motion announced that the new BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 will be released for download today. BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 delivers an enhanced tablet experience and allows you to use the BlackBerry PlayBook in new ways throughout the day – at work and at play. But is it too little, too late?

“Building on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s proven web browsing, multimedia and multitasking strengths, the new BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 introduces a range of new communications and productivity enhancements as well as expanded app and content support,” said David J. Smith, SVP Mobile Computing, Research In Motion.

New BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 features include:

• Finally, Integrated email client with a powerful unified inbox: With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 you have the option to use a  unified inbox that consolidates all messages in one place, including messages from Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, as well as personal and work email accounts.
• Social Integration with Calendar and Contacts apps:  The built-in calendar harnesses information from social networks and makes it available where and when users need it.  Contact cards are also dynamically populated with updated information from Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to create a consolidated view of contacts.
• Updated BlackBerry Bridge app: BlackBerry Bridge is the Playbook app that provides a Bluetooth connection between your BlackBerry PlayBook and core apps on your BlackBerry smartphone (including BBM, Email, Contacts, Calendar and Browser) in order to let you view the content on the larger tablet display. With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, it’s easier and quicker than ever to take documents, web pages, emails and photos that appear on your BlackBerry smartphone and display them on your BlackBerry PlayBook for an optimized viewing and editing experience. The updated BlackBerry Bridge app also provides a new remote control feature that allows a BlackBerry smartphone to be used as a wireless keyboard and mouse for a BlackBerry PlayBook.
• Improved mobile productivity: Updated document editing functions, the new Print To Go app, and increased control and manageability of corporate data with BlackBerry Balance  allow you to get more out of your BlackBerry PlayBook every day. Plus, an updated virtual keyboard with auto correction and predictive next word completion learns how you type to enable faster, more accurate typing.
• New apps and content: Thousands of new apps are being added to BlackBerry App World today (including a range of Android apps that will run on the BlackBerry PlayBook). Enhanced web browsing capabilities are also available with BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0.

In conjunction with the release of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, RIM is making available an initial release of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion that will include support for managing BlackBerry PlayBook tablets and BlackBerry smartphones in an enterprise. The full release of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion (with mobile device management capabilities for iOS and Android devices) is planned for general availability in late March 2012.

Apple is really trying its best to make it as easy as possible for developers to get into the iOS development game – until now their developer resources needed the user to access the developer portal. Now anyone can get an idea of what is involved in iOS development by just accessing “Start Developing iOS Apps Today”, without signing up for anything. Google also recently improved their Android design guidelines that is available online, through their Android Design page, so it is good to see Apple also doing the same.

The guide is particularly great for anyone who has no idea of what goes into developing a mobile app, including the programming languages used, tools that need to be downloaded, and of course the dreaded vetting process by Apple to decide whether your app is up to standard for the iPhone, iPad or iPod.

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About a week ago a big storm erupted because it was discovered that certain apps (like Path)  could access the iPhone address book, and then also send that address book details to a server to be stored. While everyone was focussing on the offending companies like Path and Twitter, the real culprits were Apple, because they did not have anything in place that informs the user that a app is accessing his or her contact details.

Finally Apple has replied to these concerns, and have decided to bring out a software update that will force the user to give permission to an app before it can access the Address Book. No word yet about when this software update will arrive, but it is safe to assume it would land with iOS 5.1 which should arrive by mid March 2012.

Here is Apple’s official statement regarding the issue:

“Apps that collect or transmit a user’s contact data without their prior permission are in violation of our guidelines*,” Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told AllThingsD. “We’re working to make this even better for our customers, and as we have done with location services, any app wishing to access contact data will require explicit user approval in a future software release.”

So the apps did not comply with Apple’s guidelines. But for a company that has such stringent vetting standards when it comes to Apps, it does seem like a massive oversight on their behalf. But al least they will now do something about it.

To-do list apps are never that exciting – in fact, most of them simply rehash the same ideas. Different lists, and items you check off underneath each. But today a new app launched that has had a few user interface desginers very excited. You see, Clear does not follow any user interface guidelines which most good designers seem to agree with. Instead it uses an interface entirely devoid of buttons.

Users use a combination of pinches, drags and sweeps in order to create and complete tasks. In fact, the only familiar part of the interfaces is the occasional keyboard that pops up. Here is a basic guide to using the app:

- Pull down on a list to add an item

- Swipe an item right to complete it

- Swipe an item or list left to delete it

- Pinch apart two items to insert a new one between them

- Pinch vertically together to close the current list and show all the lists

Any items in your list can have a colour associated with it, but you simply hold them and drag them to the priority you want. You might want to check out this hands on demo of the app:

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Microsoft and LucasArts have collaborated to to announce “Kinect Star Wars” and the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Kinect Star Wars” console bundle. The new console bundle features a distinct Star Wars styling with a gold Xbox controller which will enchant Star Wars fans.   Star Wars fans of all ages will soon be able to bring the Star Wars universe home and become part of the films like never before with the power of Kinect for Xbox 360.

With five dynamic modes – Jedi Destiny: Dark Side Rising, Podracing, Rancor Rampage, Galactic Dance Off and Duels of Fate – “Kinect Star Wars” makes it possible for Star Warsfans of all ages to delve into immersive Star Wars experiences. In addition to the previously announced Jedi, Podracing and Rancor modes, Xbox 360 and LucasArts have today unveiled new additions to the game, including:

New experiences within Jedi Destiny Mode, including:

Space battles: As you travel the Galaxy to face an evil that threatens to undermine the fabric of the Republic, you’ll engage with forces of the Empire in intense space battles

Speeder Bikes and Landspeeders: Pilot iconic Speeder Bikes and Landspeeders on your epic journey

New duels: Battle opponents like Count Dooku and Darth Vader on your journey to become a Jedi

New Duels of Fate mode, a battle-by-battle experience to sharpen your Jedi skills against the Dark Side

New Galactic Dance Off mode loaded with Star Wars-themed pop tunes where those still honing their Jedi skills can take a break to battle Darth Vader on the dance floor or bust a move “Solo style.”

Additionally, the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Kinect Star Wars” console bundle will feature an exclusive C-3PO unlockable for Dance Mode. With these new reveals and the ability to play in 3D, “Kinect Star Wars” adds to the growing popularity of the family-friendly gaming portfolio for Kinect for Xbox 360. Both will both be available on April 3, 2012 in South Africa for a recommended retail price of R399 and R 4699 respectively.

Related: See our review of the Xbox Kinect here.

WeatherSA.co.za, the online hub of the South African Weather Service, has unveiled a brand new weather application for all iOS devices, including the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The app is designed with South African users in mind, and supported by the South African Weather Service.

Several of the app features are a first for South Africa, such as storm warnings and push notifications, which are sent directly to the user’s device daily. Other highlights of the application include breaking news alerts, seven day tables of weather across the country, an outlook for various outdoor and sports activities, sunrise, sunset and moonrise times as well as hourly and weekly graphs covering rain, wind, temperature, pressure and humidity.

The WeatherSA app will be available as a free download and allows users to customise the weather notices sent to their device(s), from daily to weekly forecasts and local news to national warnings and provincial forecasts. The app can also predict the best time of day for outdoor activities such as cycling, swimming and going for a jog, making it the perfect lifestyle accessory.

One of the most novel features of the WeatherSA app is the ability for users to share alerts with their contacts via email, Twitter or Facebook, which links in perfectly with WeatherSA’s broad spectrum social media campaign. Their Facebook and Twitter pages will provide followers with daily updates, news and interesting information surrounding both the weather and lifestyle features.

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OK – lets start off with a tip. If you are planning to buy an iPad, you might want to wait a few weeks.

According to AllThingsD, Apple is planning to announce the iPad 3 in the first week of March 2012. In the past this meant that the device will land in US stores about a week after that, and other territories about 2 months later. In 2011 South Africa didn’t have to wait too long to get the iPad 2, so hopefully it will be the same with the iPad 3. Apple does not typically deviate from their release cycle when it comes to iOS devices (except with the iPhone 4S), so this is one rumour that will probably turn out to be true.

So what will be new in the iPad 3? Is it worth waiting for? Seeing as the iPad 2 was not a massive update from the iPad 1 (slightly faster, thinner and cameras added, see our review here), the iPad 3 might be a bigger update than expected. Also, Apple does not seem to increase prices with new models, so it might be well worth your while. Here are some of the changes you can expect: (more…)